The Israel Defense Forces announced Monday that the 36th Division has completed operations in Rafah and is continuing to engage targets in the Khan Yunis sector of the Gaza Strip. The division’s current focus includes joint ground and aerial assaults targeting Hamas infrastructure and personnel.
Troops from the Golani Brigade, 188th Armored Brigade, and Kfir Brigade, operating with Yahalom engineering units, have worked systematically over the past week to destroy terrorist infrastructure both above and below ground. Artillery units from the 282nd Brigade have provided consistent fire support, while Israel Air Force aircraft have executed dozens of targeted strikes, eliminating terrorists who threatened IDF forces.
According to the IDF, the operation has resulted in the dismantling of hundreds of terrorist assets, including tunnel shafts, underground routes, combat compounds, and observation posts.
Givati Brigade engages in northern Gaza
Meanwhile, in the northern Gaza Strip, the Givati Brigade—operating under the 162nd Division—has also been active. The brigade reported the elimination of dozens of terrorists and the destruction of booby-trapped structures and tunnel networks used by Hamas and other terror factions.
In one incident, troops identified an imminent threat, prompting coordination with IAF aircraft through the brigade’s Fire Control Center. The airstrike successfully neutralized the terrorist operatives.
IDF: Hamas mortar squad eliminated within one minute
Separately, during operations carried out by the 401st Brigade’s combat team on Monday, terrorists launched multiple mortar rounds at Israeli forces. Though no injuries were reported, the IDF stated that within one minute, troops and the 401st Fire Control Center identified the source—a Hamas cell retreating from a building—and directed an immediate aerial strike that eliminated the cell.
The 401st Brigade, operating under the 162nd Division, has been active in Gaza in recent weeks and continues to operate with the objective of safeguarding Israeli civilians.
All current IDF activity is being conducted as part of Operation “Gideon’s Chariots,” a comprehensive campaign launched earlier this month aimed at dismantling Hamas’s remaining military infrastructure in Gaza. The operation combines armored maneuvers, infantry assaults, precision airstrikes, and tunnel-clearing missions, and is focused on both southern and northern sectors of the Strip.
